Surrounding monitoring device for slewing-type work machine

Abstract

A slewing-type hydraulic excavator has a plurality of cameras 13 for respectively imaging toward different directions. A view point converting section 21 performs coordinate image data conversion to create overhead view images to look down from an upper position. A composite overhead view image creating section 22 creates a composite overhead view image P arranged around a graphic image of the hydraulic excavator 1 . An interference scope indicating section 25 indicates the scope of potential interference on the overhead view image with a surrounding obstacle at respective ground heights at the time of rotating the hydraulic excavator 1 . A display image creating section 26 produces the composite overhead view image P together with interference scope which is displayed on a monitor.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A surrounding monitoring device for a slewing-type work machine comprising:
 a lower travelling structure; 
 an upper swiveling structure connected to the lower travelling structure; 
 a counterweight which forms a rear end part of the upper swiveling structure; 
 a plural number of imaging devices, which are mounted on the upper swiveling structure, for taking images respectively downwardly inclined and at different directions; 
 a controller connected to the imaging devices and programmed to: 
 receive image data from the imaging devices and perform view point coordinate conversion of the image data taken from the respective imaging devices to generate overhead view images showing a view looking down from an upper position, 
 create a composite overhead view image from the overhead view images, the composite overhead view image being arranged around a symbolized view image of the slewing-type work machine, 
 indicate on the composite overhead view image an interference scope of the counterweight of the upper swiveling structure that would cause interference with a surrounding obstacle according to a height above ground level of the counterweight at a time of rotating of the slewing-type work machine, and 
 generate the composite overhead view image together with the interference scope as a display image; and 
 a monitor that displays the display image, 
 wherein the controller is further programmed to: 
 indicate on the composite overhead view image the interference scopes as rotating radiuses of the counterweight at multiple heights above ground level including at a highest position and a lowest position above ground of a rearmost end of the counterweight. 
 
     
     
       2. The surrounding monitoring device for the slewing-type work machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further programmed to indicate the rotating radiuses on the composite overhead view image at equal intervals between the interference scopes of the highest and lowest positions. 
     
     
       3. The surrounding monitoring device for the slewing-type work machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the slewing-type work machine is a hydraulic excavator, and the controller is further programmed to indicate as one of the rotating radiuses of the interference scopes on the composite overhead view image a ground height of a portion of a dump truck closest to the hydraulic excavator which transports excavated substance from the hydraulic excavator. 
     
     
       4. The surrounding monitoring device for the slewing-type work machine according to  claim 3 , wherein the controller is further programmed to indicate a height of a vessel's rearmost end or a frame's rearmost end of the dump truck as the one of the rotating radiuses of the interference scopes on the composite overhead view image. 
     
     
       5. The surrounding monitoring device for the slewing-type work machine according to  claim 4 , further comprising a wireless communication member that receives information for identifying a kind of the dump truck from different kinds of dump trucks by wireless communication, wherein the controller is further programmed to indicate the height of the vessel's rearmost end or the frame's rearmost end corresponding to one of the kinds of dump trucks as the one of the rotating radiuses of the interference scopes on the composite overhead view image. 
     
     
       6. The surrounding monitoring device for slewing-type work machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further programmed to indicate numeric data of the ground height of the rotating radiuses of the interference scopes on the composite overhead view image. 
     
     
       7. The surrounding monitoring device for the slewing-type work machine according to  claim 1 , wherein, in case where there exists a difference of height between positions of the slewing-type work machine and the obstacle, the controller is further programmed to indicate an adjustment for a displayed position of the rotating radiuses of the interference scopes on the composite overhead view image displayed on the monitor depending upon the difference of height. 
     
     
       8. The surrounding monitoring device for slewing-type work machine according to  claim 1 , wherein, in case where the height of the obstacle is changed, the controller is further programmed to indicate a width between an upper limit rotating radius interference scope and a lower limit rotating radius interference scope as a difference in height.